North Tyneside Council has passed a motion to urge the Prime Minister to extend proposed legislation to ban ‘conversion therapy’ to include and protect trans people.
‘Conversion therapy’ is the discredited practice to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. According to LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall: “Conversion practices are one-directional: the intention is to get a person to change or their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“This is the opposite of appropriate, affirming and healthy therapy or counselling, which will support an individual who is exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity whatever the outcome may be.
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Earlier this year the Government announced it will legislate against ‘conversion therapy’ targeted at gay and bisexual people, but would not legislate against the practice for trans people. A motion proposed by councillors Matthew Thirlaway, Willie Samuel, and Carol Burdis called on the elected Mayor Norma Redfearn to write to the Prime Minister to “finally prioritise and legislate a conversion therapy ban that includes gender identity”.
Councillor Thirlaway said at a meeting on Thursday: “Young LGBTQ+ people are twice as likely to feel lonely than their peers. Young LGBTQ+ are twice as likely to have depression, anxiety and panic attacks. Young LGBTQ+ people are three times as likely to self harm and twice as likely to commit suicide. Chair, the uncomfortable truth is young LGBTQ+ people and LGBTQ+ in general are suffering and dying because of who they are and who they love.
“Conversion therapy inflicts both physical and mental pain and suffering. It results in long lasting psychological and physical damage and links between conversion therapy and suicide are well documented. Conversion therapy also increases the risk of drug abuse and homelessness and perhaps the most infuriating fact about this whole issue is conversion therapy doesn't work. As a society we have an obligation to protect the rights of others.
“There is no defence to subject people to inhumane and craven treatment. The state must take action to mitigate the damage conversion therapy poses to people."
Conservative councillor Liam Bone said: “I have been dismayed in recent weeks to see the so-called ‘trans debate’ used as political football by leadership in my own party. Trans people are our friends, our work colleagues and our residents, they deserve so much better than to be weaponized by politicians trying to make a name for themselves.
“I urge all politicians, of both sides but particularly the final two in the Conservative leadership race to drop the so-called trans issue and instead treat trans people with dignity and respect they deserve. Trans people deserve equal protection and equal care.
“Trans people deserve so much better than this. I'm very glad to be supporting the motion.”
The motion was passed with five abstentions from Conservative councillors Judith Wallace, George Westwater, Ken Barrie, Pat McIntyre, and Linda Arkley.
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